Former Vice President Kamala Harris reemerged from political quietude on April 30 to deliver a sharp critique of President Donald Trump’s initial 100 days in office. Her speech included an unexpected metaphor involving elephants that surprised many listeners.
At the Emerge’s 20th anniversary gala in San Francisco, California, Harris depicted the country as facing challenges under Trump’s leadership and called for progressive unity. This event marked her first significant public address since her electoral defeat the previous November.
In a notable moment, Harris referenced a viral video of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park forming a protective circle during an April 14 earthquake in Southern California.
“OK, it’s kind of dark in here, but I’m asking for a show of hands — who saw that video from a couple of weeks ago, the one of the elephants at the San Diego Zoo during the earthquake? Google it if you’ve not seen it,” Harris said with a laugh, before explaining the symbolism she found in the animals’ behavior.
She described how the elephants created an “alert circle” to protect their young when the ground shook, drawing a comparison to what Democrats should do in response to Trump’s policies.
The video Harris mentioned depicts five African elephants forming a circle around their calves during a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. Experts noted that the adult elephants quickly surrounded the two seven-year-old calves, Zuli and Mkhaya, in an instinctive protective move.
The former vice president suggested that those “who try to incite fear are most effective when they divide and conquer, when they separate the herd, when they try to make everyone think they are alone.”
This analogy was part of a broader policy-focused speech where Harris criticized Trump’s economic policies as causing “the greatest manmade economic crisis in modern presidential history.”
Presented at the Palace Hotel to supporters of an organization promoting Democratic women in politics, her speech included strong criticisms of Trump’s economic agenda, especially his tariffs.
Harris argued that Americans from all political backgrounds were opposing the president’s tariff policies, which she claimed increased the cost of essentials, harmed retirement accounts, and negatively affected American businesses.
She also warned of a potential constitutional crisis if checks and balances continue to deteriorate.
Harris criticized the administration’s higher education policies, describing efforts to manage campus protests as “unconstitutional demands that threaten the pursuit of truth and academic independence.”
She highlighted concerns over due process in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose deportation to El Salvador in March has sparked significant concern.
Throughout her speech, Harris praised Democratic leaders who have voiced opposition to Trump’s policies, naming Senators Cory Booker, Chris Van Hollen, Chris Murphy, and Bernie Sanders, and Representatives Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Since losing to Trump last November, Harris has largely stayed out of the public eye, leading to speculation about her future, which might include a gubernatorial run in California in 2026, a presidential bid in 2028, or stepping back from politics.
During her speech, she did not reveal her political intentions but focused on rallying Democrats. “I am not here tonight to offer all the answers, but I am here to say this: Things are probably going to get worse before they get better,” she told the audience.
